A/N: Cross-posted on AO3
I'm only expecting this to be a few chapters long. I just had it stuck in my head for a while now, and decided to just write it. I don't know how often I will get to write new chapters, as my main focus is on finishing up my other fic, but this has weighed on my mind heavily enough that I had to write it down.
This is my first Encanto fic, so I hope I do the characters justice.
***I do not speak spanish, so I have relied on google translate. Please let me know if there are any mistakes, and I will fix it. I will include a list of most of the translations in the end notes.
"Tía Julieta?"
Julieta turned from looking at the family tree to find Adoria, her 5-year-old great-niece. hovering in the doorway. The little one had obviously just woken up, as her curly hair was mused and she was still in her nightgown.
"Hola pequeña. What are you doing up so early?" It was just shortly after 6 in the morning. She walked over to Adoria and picked up the little girl, settling her on her hip.
"I was hungry." The girl said, yawning and laying her head on her tía abuela's shoulder.
"Let's see what we can do about that, mijita." Julieta carried her sobrina into the kitchen and sat her on the counter like she would her own hija's when they were little. She set about getting a small snack together for the two of them. "Did you have a mal sueño?"
"No Tía." She answered softly, content in watching her tía putter around the stove.
"You know you can come to me if you do have any, right?" Julieta said, placing a hand on the little girl's cheek. At the girl's nod and smile, she turned back to finish up their snack.
Soon enough Julieta was pouring the candil into two mugs and pulling out two mojicones that were left over from yesterday. Adoria helped her tía sprinkle some cinnamon on top of their drinks, before hopping off the counter and carefully carrying the plate with their sweet buns to the dining table.
"Tía Julieta?" Adoria asked after eating a little of her snack.
Julieta looked down at her sobrina beside her. "Sí, mi amor?"
"Why are you so sad?" The little girl's big hazel eyes seemed to bore right into Julieta's soul. Upon her 5th birthday, Adoria's gift was granted and it soon became apparent that she was empathic. She was slowly learning what the different feelings were that she felt while around others.
Julieta's smile faltered a little. "You see, mi amor, today is mis hijas cumpleaños."
Adoria frowned up at her tía. "Tía Isabela's?"
"No, pequeña, my youngest mija, Mirabel."
The little girl quirked her head. "Oh! Tío Antonio told me all about Tía Mirabel! He said she told the best stories, and gave the best hugs."
Julieta swiped at the tear that escaped her eye. "Sí, she did. She had the best smile too."
"Why is Tía Mirabel not here?"
Julieta stood, and walked over to the family tree that was centred behind her mother's chair. It had grown with each generation. But there was her Mirabel, a little more faded unlike the others, but still there. She ran a finger across the painted image of her daughter. "She left a long time ago."
"Is she coming back?"
"I… I don't know mija. It has been almost 8 years now."
Adoria slid off her chair and went to stand beside her tía, taking her hand in hers. "Can you tell me about the tree?"
Julieta gave the child a soft smile and picked her up again, settling her once again on her hip.
"At the top here, we have your Bisabuela Alma and Bisabuelo Pedro."
"My hermano is named Pedro!"
"Sí, sí he is. He was named after my papá." Julieta smiled at the enthusiastic girl, though a pang filled her chest as she was reminded of another enthusiastic girl who had once asked her these questions. "Your bisabuelos then had triplets. I was the eldest, then…"
"Abuela Pepa!"
"Sí, very good mija. Then our youngest hermano, Bruno. Your Abuela met your Abuelo Félix and got married. Then I met Agustín and we got married." Julieta said, pointing out the two men on the tree, and how they were connected by a branch forming a heart. "The eldest grandchild was mi hija Isabela, who is married to Christían."
"Their bebé is Felipe." Adoria simply loved her little primo, he was a year old, and she loved to help Isabela dress him. She viewed him almost like her own live doll.
"Then there is your mamá, Dolores. She married Mariano."
"Papí!"
"And they had you, the eldest great-grandchild. Then your little hermano, Pedro, was born a few years later." She then motioned back to her side of the tree to her second daughter. "Next born was Luisa, who is married to Diego. Their niños are Eduardo and Sofía." She then pointed to Camilo. "Next are your Tío's Camilo and Antonio."
"But what about Mirabel?"
Julieta lifted her free hand to trace her daughter's figure again. "Mirabel was born only a couple months after your Tío Camilo. She was a tiny thing when she was born. As she grew, she loved to sing and dance. She was an excellent sewer, making such wondrous creations. She got your Tío Agustín's accident-proneness though." They both giggled a little at thinking about Agustin.
Adoria leant her head on her tía's shoulder as she watched her caress the painting of the missing Madrigal grandchild. "What was she like?"
"She had such a kind heart, always wanting to help. She- she didn't get a gift, but she tried to help as much as she could."
"She didn't get a gift? Why? Did the miracle not like her?"
Julieta closed her eyes. "I don't know, mijita. I don't know why she wasn't given a gift. But I do know that I loved her so much. She was mi vida, and while I am so happy to have you and my nietos, I sometimes get very sad when I think about her."
"You miss her."
"Sí."
They were quiet for a little while, Julieta taking comfort from her sobrina's warmth, and Adoria happy to offer it for her.
Adoria noticed something after a while. "Tía, do the hearts mean someone is married?"
"It does."
"I think Tía Mirabel is married. Look."
Julieta took a closer look at where her sobrina was pointing. Sure enough, it was faint, but there was a branch extending from Mirabel in the shape of a heart. Coming off that branch was a leaf that had a yellowish tinge to it, making it stand out from the other darker green leaves. "Ay dios mio." Her hand shook as she traced the branch. She then noticed that there were three leaves extending below the heart, which made her breath catch. "¿Mi hija es madre?" Happy tears sprung to her eyes. "She's alive!"
Julieta spun Adoria around, causing the little girl to giggle.
"What are you two doing?"
The two stopped and looked up to find Pepa and Luisa in the arched entrance of the dining room.
"I'm an Abuela!" Julieta exclaimed, a smile on her face that neither Pepa or Luisa had seen in almost 8 years.
"She's an Abuela!" Adoria echoed, arms extended in the air as her tía's excitement filled her chest.
Pepa shared a concerned look with Luisa.
"Juli, querida, we know you have three beautiful nietos." Pepa said, walking into the room. "Are you feeling alright this morning? I know today is hard for you."
Julieta's smile didn't falter though with her hermana's words. "I'm fine, Pepi. And I have 6 nietos."
"¿Mamá?" Luisa asked as she came to stand beside her mother, equally as worried as her tía. "Maybe you should have a seat-"
"No, no, look." The two taller women followed Julieta's gaze to the family tree.
"What are we looking for?" Pepa asked.
Julieta raised her hand to brush over Mirabel's figure again. "Adoria pointed it out. It's faint, but look, see." She then ran her finger along the fainter branch shaped into a heart. "Mi bebé is married!"
Pepa and Luisa both had incredulous expressions on their faces. They could see now what Julieta had been saying. Luisa's lip quivered as she stepped forward to run her own fingers along the branch, and the subsequent leaves. "H-how long do you think this has been here?"
"Abuela, your rain tickles." Adoria said, letting out a little giggle.
Pepa realized that it indeed was raining, but she paid it no mind today. Instead, she walked over and embraced her sister with Adoria getting squished between them. "Ay Juli."
Adoria didn't mind though. She knew that the three women were all happy, but it was tinged with such an overwhelming sadness. She held her little hand out to her Tía Luisa.
Luisa took her sobrina's little hand in her large one, before bringing it to her lips. After placing a kiss on her tiny hand, Luisa then wrapped all three of them into her strong arms.
"She's alive." Came Julieta's broken sob.
Mirabel woke to the sound of things crashing together in the kitchen. She laid there for a moment, hoping it was her dream, when another clang sounded. "Ay Julio." She groaned, before reaching to her night table and snatching her gold rimmed glasses to place them on her face. She grunted as she hefted herself up off the bed.
When she made it downstairs into their kitchen, she found her husband wearing her apron while stirring a pot of reheating rice and beans. Next to him on stools were their twin daughters, covered in harina de maíz as they formed misshapen arepas. On the floor was their toddler son, who was playing in the cornmeal that had been knocked onto the floor.
"Buenos días mi desordenada familia."
"¡Mamá, feliz cumpleaños!" Her girls exclaimed, turning wide, beaming smiles at her.
"Gracias mijas." Mirabel said, as she walked over to them and placed kisses on each of their cheeks. "You helping Papí with making breakfast?"
"¡Sí!" Luna said, nodding.
"Papí said we could make arepas like you showed us. We did it all by ourselves!" Aleta continued with a proud smile on her face as she held up another misshapen ball of dough.
"I see that. I can't wait to try it." Mirabel said, amusement ringing in her voice.
"Buenos días mi amor." Julio said into her ear, as he wrapped his arms around her. "Lo siento for waking you up." His hands settled on her protruding belly, caressing it gently. "Feliz cumpleaños." He said softly.
Mirabel turned in his arms and tugged him down into a kiss. "Gracias, corazón." She whispered against his lips.
A tugging on her nightdress pulled her from her husband. "Mamí."
"Hola mijo. Did you have a good sleep?" She asked, turning from her husband. She couldn't keep the amused smile off her face as she took in his powder covered hands and face.
Aarón nodded his head excitedly. "Sí. Look!" He pointed to drawings he had made in the flour.
"Eso se ve increíble pequeño." She dipped her finger in the wet cornmeal mixture on the counter and swiped it onto his nose. This caused him to shriek and giggle, while simultaneously crossing his eyes to try and see his nose. "Why don't the two of us get ready for the day, while Papí and your hermanas finish breakfast?"
"Okay Mamí."
"I trust my kitchen will still be standing by the time I get back?" She teased, as she held her hand out for Aarón to take.
"You wound me, mi amor." Julio said dramatically, holding a hand over his heart.
"You're going to do worse to all of us if you don't take that rice off the burner now." Mirabel said, smelling the faint hint of smoke.
"Miércoles." Her husband muttered as he quickly took the pan off the burner, hoping it wasn't unsalvageable.
Mirabel laughed, as she guided their son upstairs.
She helped her son stand on a chair so that she could clean the harina de maíz from his hands and cheeks, as bending was getting more difficult every day. Aarón was chatting away telling her all about what had happened before she had woken up this morning. She finally deemed him as clean as he was going to get without a bath, and led him to his room where she helped him dress himself for the day.
She left him to play with his toys in his room as she went to go change herself. She dressed in a teal dress with embroidery on the hem of the skirt that represented her little family; a fountain pen and books representing her husband who was a lover of knowledge, a moon for Luna, parakeets for Aleta, and stars for Aarón. She caressed her baby bump, wondering what she would be adding to her skirt for the new little one.
"Only another couple months till we meet, mi pequeño bebé." She smiled at the answer kick she received.
Mirabel went over to the mirror to fix her hair. It had grown long in the time she had been away from Encanto. But with its length, she understood her mamá's need to have her hair pinned up. The tick curls didn't allow much room for air flow, and little hands tugging at it at any moment had her tying it back. Sometimes she had put it up in a bun, just to see her mamá in her mirror's reflection. The older she got, the more she looked like her madrés double.
She wiped a lone tear from her eye. Her birthday, since leaving, had always been a hard day for her. It got easier over time, having her children and Julio to celebrate with. But it was in these quiet moments, that she terribly missed her mamá, papá, and her little Antonio. While she did miss her other family, she missed those three the most.
'My little Antonio wouldn't be so little anymore. He's almost 13… a teenager… I've missed so much.' She swallowed past the lump in her throat, trying not to cry. She didn't want to get caught up in her guilt, especially not today with her children expecting her to be happy on her own birthday.
After a few deep breaths to calm herself, she smiled to herself in her reflection. 'I've got a new family, one who loves me for me.'
Mirabel collected her son from his room and they made their way back downstairs. They found the three other members of their family finishing setting the table. Mirabel helped settle Aarón into his seat, and then eased herself down onto her chair. They were soon joined by the girls and Julio.
"Try our arepa's Mamí!" Luna said, pushing the plate across the table to her.
"Oh, se ven deliciosos." Despite being misshapen, Mirabel was proud of her girls for trying. She picked one up and sent a quick prayer up that they were at least palatable, before she took a bite. She was pleasantly surprised that they tasted good, maybe a bit too much salt, but otherwise they were definitely arepas. "Soon you will both be better than your Mamá. Gracias mis chicas."
"De nada, Mamí." Aleta responded, grinning toothily at her.
Mirabel was soon passed along the rest of the breakfast dishes, and Julio helped all their children plate their food, before sitting back down. She was thankful to have such an attentive husband.
"I know it will be nothing like your own cooking, but I hope I did passable enough, mi amor." Julio smiled at her, while helping Aarón by cutting his food into tiny pieces.
"I'm sure it is fine, corazón." Mirabel said, returning his smile with one of her own.
Dinner that evening in la casa del Madrigal was a more subdued affair. Félix and Camilo had taken over making the food for today, as they had every year on Mirabel's birthday since her disappearance.
Alma sat at her spot at the head of the table and took a moment to observe her family. So many changes have happened in almost 8 years. Her three eldest grandchildren have made her a bisabuela to 5 great-grandchildren, whom she adored. Even Casita was showing her loss, the house has never been the same - tiles no longer dance or flutter in excitement.
When the family had found out that Mirabel had left Casita in the middle of the night after Antonio's gift ceremony, well it was an eye opener to them all. Especially Alma. They had searched endlessly for Mirabel in all of Encanto, but eventually they had to concede that she had left and was long gone. Watching her eldest daughter fall apart was one of the worst pains she had ever experienced. On par with losing her Pedro and then her Brunito.
Alma had taken a step back and reflected on how her life and that of her family's had gotten to the crumbling point. She had also taken the time to speak with each family member and realized that the cracks went deeper than just with Mirabel. She was horrified when she realized just how much pressure she had placed on all of their shoulders. In the need to ensure the miracle survived, she had lost sight of what Pedro had sacrificed himself for.
Su familia.
In losing her sight of their true miracle, she had lost two of her amados. First, her youngest niño, Bruno, and then just over 10 years later, her youngest nieta.
Alma decided right then and there that she would learn, and change. She wouldn't allow another family member to lose their way in the family, vowing to try to fix what she could.
But while they were looking for one lost member, another returned. Her Brunito returned to her; he had come out of his walls - Alma had been stricken to learn that he had been living in the walls of Casita this whole time. He had only come out to help with finding Mirabel, hoping he could maybe have a vision of her.
Alas, he could not get a clear picture of Mirabel. They were unsure if it was due to him avoiding using his gift for over 10 years, if it was caused by Mirabel being outside of Encanto, or if… No, they had all refused to go down that route.
The years since, they have developed a new sense of normal. Everyone took more breaks, and turned away requests that the townspeople could easily do themselves. There wasn't the pressure to be perfect or happy all the time. Alma had encouraged that they have one day that was reserved just for la familia. The townspeople were told to not bother them, barring any real emergencies, as they would be unavailable.
Alma looked at her children now. They were older, and grayer; but then again, so was she. They had been the first she had made amends with. Her Pepa finally had accepted her emotions and let herself feel in the moment instead of always trying to have clear skies. Bruno was back into the fold of the family, and seemed to be doing well. The bags under his eyes were much less pronounced, and once he had started putting on his rat telenovelas in the town square, had grown in confidence. He rarely would read people's fortunes now, just deciding to allow them to come to him naturally, and then he would decide to share the ones he thought were important.
Then there was her eldest, Julieta. Alma could see how the last 8 years had been unkind to her daughter. She was still beautiful; but she looked tired and always carried a shroud of sadness around her. The first few months Julieta had barely left her room, unable to rise and face a day without her bebé. When she finally made an appearance, she was haggard, and easily got lost in her own mind. Over time, she was able to shelf her grief a little more - it was never truly gone, but she could go longer between spells. When Adoria was born, it was like Julieta found a little piece of herself again; and with each subsequent child born, three being her own grandchildren, she had pieced together more of her broken self. The cracks still showed some days, but the family helped carry her grief so she wasn't alone.
Alma looked to her eldest grandchild next. Isabela had truly grown into her full potential over the last few years. Alma had been at first shocked when Isabela confessed that she had only gone along with her courtship with Mariano for the family, all those years ago. She had instantly talked with the Guzmán's about the dissolution of the courtship. Isabela had flourished with having no pressures to be perfect anymore; she learned to grow new and exciting plants, including helping the farmers with the crops. When Isabela met Christían, Alma could see a full 180 in how her nieta interacted with him compared to Mariano. Christían had been a refugee to Encanto about five years ago, and it very quickly became apparent the spark the two had. They now had three years of marriage and a son, Felipe, who was her current youngest great-grandchild.
She smiled when her attention was pulled by her eldest great-grandchild, Adoria. Oldest child of Dolores and Mariano - that had been another big shock to the older woman. It was a few months after the dissolution of Isabela and Mariano's courtship that Dolores came home one day and announced that she would be going out with Mariano. Seven-and-a-half years, and two children later, Alma couldn't be happier for her two nieta's and how they had ended up with the ones meant for them.
"Bisabuela?"
"Yes, nieta?"
"Are you sad Tía Mirabel is not here?"
The room grew silent, except for the sounds the other children were making.
"Of course, cariño. I miss her everyday." Alma replied, cupping the back of the child's head as she was seated to her right. She glanced at her children, their spouses, and her grandchildren. How she wishes she had realized sooner that she had been hurting the family. "Perhaps we should share with Adoria and her cousins, what our Mirabel meant to us?"
Antonio jumped at the chance, and quickly began telling a story of his beloved prima. His memories had faded somewhat as the years have gone by, but they had all made an effort to make sure he remembered Mirabel and what she looked like.
While the others talked, Alma looked to her left, at Julieta. Her hija had tears running freely down her face, and she had her head resting on Agustín's shoulder. But somehow, she seemed lighter than she had in a long time. Alma reached over and clasped her fingers over Julieta's hand. She looked up at her mother, and they shared a soft smile that was both tinged with sadness as well as happiness.
That night, Alma spoke to her Pedro again, as she gazed at his portrait in her locket. "Ay Pedro. I wish there was a way that I could make this right. I wish my mariposita would return to us."
Two Weeks Later
The couple weeks since her birthday had gone fast. Time seemed to go quick with three children under 5, especially while pregnant with another one.
Mirabel was collecting the laundry from each of the three bedrooms so that she could take it downstairs to wash. Upon leaving her mijas room, she started descending the stairs. With her distended belly, she didn't see the doll that had been left on the stairs. She slipped on it, dropping the laundry basket in an attempt to grab onto the handrail, but she couldn't get a grip. She managed to turn enough to protect her unborn child, but couldn't stop her fall.
Next thing she knew was she was in so much pain at the bottom of the stairs. She barely took note that the laundry basket had broken her fall, as she could feel it collapsed underneath her.
"Mira? Ay Dios mío. Espera amor, voy a buscar ayuda." Julio quickly left, calling on Señora Cruz, from next door, to come sit with Mirabel and the children while he got help to get her to the small hospital. Mirabel lost consciousness soon after he left.
Hours later, the doctor finally came out. "Julio, she is stable right now, but I am worried about how severe her injuries may be. I believe she has at the very least fractured her hip, as well as her left ankle. She also has a relatively mild concussion, compared to what I usually see in falls like this."
Julio ran a hand across his face. "And the baby?"
"For right now, the baby seems to be fine." The doctor paused. "I am… concerned that with a fractured hip, it will make birthing the babe, naturally, next to impossible. There is great risk in cutting the baby out, but there is also an almost greater risk if we allow her to try to deliver naturally." He paused again. "I don't normally advise in delivering babies this early, but I am suggesting that we remove the baby sooner rather than later. The pressure on her fractured hip will only get worse over the next 6 weeks, if she would even make it to her due date, at this point. Of course, there would be risk involved with a child born this prematurely."
Julio felt his mouth go dry. "It sounds like you are asking me to choose one or the other." He looked away from the doctor, letting a broken sob break free from him. After a moment of deep breaths, he turned to face the doctor again. "I know a specialist I can take her to. They are only a few hours away, is she stable enough to move her?"
"I really wouldn't recommend-"
"I'm not asking for your recommendation. Is she safe to travel on the back of a cart?"
"I suppose as long as there wasn't any major jostling."
"Good, I will be back at dawn to load her. I need to go pack and get the children ready for our trek." He took a steadying breath. "May I see her for a moment?"
He was led to her room, where she looked so pale and small. He brushed some loose curls from her face, before placing a kiss on her brow. "Te amo mi corazón. Mantente fuerte por mí, por nuestros hijos." He placed a hand on her belly and was relieved when he felt a kick to his palm. He leaned down and kissed the spot. "Hang in there, bebé. Papí is going to do his best to keep both you and Mamí safe. I will be back in the morning. Te quiero."
He raced home, and went to the locked drawer in their desk. He opened it to find the map he was looking for. His Mira had once shown him how to find where she came from, in case anything ever happened to her and he needed help. That time was now. He would save his wife and child, even at risk of exposing her to her family again.
So tonight, he packed up bags for all of them, including food. He kissed each of his children after relieving and thanking Señora Cruz for helping tonight. She ensured that she would watch over their house while they were gone, and to just make his family his only worry for now.
As he laid in their shared bed, that seemed so cold and empty without her warm presence, he allowed himself to pray for the first time in years. "Please, let them be okay. Give us this miracle."
Please let me know what you think!
Translations:
Tía/Tío - Aunt/Uncle
pequeña/pequeño - little one
Tía Abuela - Great-Aunt
mi hija - my daughter
mal sueño - bad dream
mijita - another version of mija, meaning my daughter, but it is commonly used by older family members as an endearing term when they are addressing younger ones, even if they are not actually their son or daughter - mijo is my son
sobrina/sobrino - niece/nephew
cumpleaños - birthday
Bisabuela/Bisabuelo - great -grandmother/grandfather
bisabuelos - great-grandparents
hermana/hermano - sister/brother
niños - children (niños can also mean boys; niñas - girls)
Ay dios mi - oh my god
¿Mi hija es madre? - my daughter is a mother?
buenos días mi desordenada familia - good morning my messy family
Eso se ve increíble - that looks amazing
Lo siento - I'm sorry
Miércoles - Wednesday (or slang for shit)
harina de maíz - cornmeal
Oh, se ven deliciosos - oh, they look delicious
Gracias mis chicas - Thank you my girls
Ay Dios mío. Espera amor, voy a buscar ayuda - Oh my god. Hold on love, I'm going to get help.
Su familia - Their family
Amados - beloveds
nieta/nieto - granddaughter/grandson
mariposita - little butterfly
Te amo mi corazón. Mantente fuerte por mí, por nuestros hijos. - I love you, my heart. Stay strong for me, for our children.
